To benefit from the stock market you have to be in it for the long haul, probably too risky for small to medium investors. Index linked certificates from NS&I used to be the way to go because you got inflation + whatever % and free of tax. Now closed to new investors and have to be left for up to 5 years. Property development seems to be the way to go now.
Actually, carnationa it's only a good idea to do it deliberately, rather than as a happy coincidence, if you want wealth more than absolutely anything else in the world.
A certain young(ish) man of my acquaintance is forever texting me to tell me how many thousands he has made over the last few months. I, of course, tell him to get out quick and safely bank it. Apparently that's not how it works.
Seriously, income drawdown is, I think, a better way to go than an annuity. With a firm like H and L. And investment ISAs are more worthwhile than cash ones.
Too much maintenance and management needed with property. You might break even.
jingl A lot of really wealthy people, e.g. the Duke of Westminster, inherited it in the first place. In a society where money makes money that helps a lot. Quite a few others – mentioning no names – became very rich through dubious business practices. Remember the asset stripping boom anyone? Some people who, if not rich, became very comfortably off by working the system, that is, the benefits system for MPs.
jingl Income drawdown has its snags, I was told by our H-L man. You have to have a minimum amount in your pot anyway, and the danger is that you can take out too much, leaving not enough to generate future income. Agree with you about property.
Sorry to change the tone (actually I'm not really, I'm being polite ) but I teach English and the word 'wealth' comes from the old English 'weal':
weal 1 (wēl) n. 1. Prosperity; happiness: in weal and woe. 2. The welfare of the community; the general good: the public weal. [Middle English wele, from Old English wela; see wel-1 in Indo-European roots.] So, the quickest way to wealth would surely be to contribute to society - and researchers have told us that happiness comes from doing good deeds, so that's a win-win situation surely? Perhaps not 'wealth' as you'd envisioned, but reachable for all.